Soulless Devil (Sons of Valentino #3)(17)

“Okay, stop pouting. It’s ruining your good looks. Now, tell me about this girl and what the problem is,” Izzy says, her expression more serious.

“The problem is she makes me feel… different.”

“Different? How so?”

“I don’t know, Iz. I’ve never had these feelings before, for anyone. It’s like when I’m not with her, all I can think about is finding ways to be with her. When I am with her, I never want to leave.”

“Romeo, you’re besotted with the girl. In love.” She smiles.

“I’m not in love,” I deny.

“Does this girl have a name? Where’d you meet her?”

“Livvy. I met her in the library.”

“The library? As in the building filled with dust and books?” Her face screws up in disgust.

“Yes, that one.”

“What were you doing in the library?” Izzy asks.

“I’m a college student. We study, Iz.”

“You don’t study, Romeo.”

“I do, since I discovered how hot chicks in the library are.”

“So… she’s hot?”

“Insanely beautiful,” I tell her.

“Has Luca met this mystery woman?”

“Yes.”

“And what does he think?”

“He thinks I’ve lost my mind. Which isn’t far from the truth. I can’t fucking function. I almost told her tonight, you know. Who I really am, things I’ve done.”

“That’s probably not a good idea. Some things are best never said aloud, Romeo.”

“I know that.”

“Does she feel the same way about you?”

“I don’t know. How the fuck am I supposed to know that?”

Izzy blinks at me with shock on her face. “You’re putting the Valentino name to shame, Romeo. No Valentino man has ever had an issue picking up chicks.”

“I don’t have an issue. She’s not just a chick, Iz, and I’m not trying to pick her up.”

“You really like her. Does she know you like her? Have you actually even spoken to her yet? Or are we still in the stalking stage of the relationship?”

“I haven’t stalked her.”

Izzy raises her brows at me in question.

“Much. I may have listened to a few of her conversations with other students she tutors. But that’s not stalking.”

“Actually, it is, Romeo. Anyway, why don’t you just ask her out if you like her? Take her on a date.”

“A date? Doing what?”

“Oh my god, you cannot be this dense. Romeo, your namesake is shaking in his grave right now.”

Again, I roll my eyes at her.

“Fine… dinner, movie, dancing. What does she like?”

“She likes books. She’s smart, extremely smart.”

“So you have that in common then.”

“Except she thinks I need tutoring.”

Izzy’s laughter comes bellowing out of the speakers. “Excuse me? What? Why on earth would she think that?”

“Because I told her I did.”

“Oh my god, this is better than Jerry Springer reruns.”

“I’m glad my life amuses you,” I groan.

“Okay, I’m sorry. You’re either going to have to tell her you like her and take the plunge, or wait around and watch as another guy discovers how great she is and steals her from underneath your friend-zoned nose.”

“I’m not in the friend zone,” I deny. At least I fucking hope I’m not.

“Yet.”

My phone vibrates next to me. I pick it up, seeing Sandra’s name on my screen. She never calls me. Why the fuck would she be calling me now?

“Iz, I gotta go.” Slamming my laptop closed, I click answer and bring my phone to my ear. “Sandra, what’s wrong?” I ask her.

“Who have you pissed off, Romeo?” she hisses through the receiver.

“Too many people to list. You’ll need to be more specific.”

“Someone is targeting Livvy, and the only reason I can possibly think for someone to do that is you.”

I freeze, my muscles tense, and my heart rate increases. “What the fuck did you say?”

“Someone has put a target on Livvy’s back. She doesn’t have enemies, Romeo. People like her. I knew I should have kept her away from you. Even after she Googled you herself last night, she was still insistent on tutoring you.”

“What do you mean someone put a target on her? Where the fuck is she, Sandra?” I yell, stand up, slide my feet back into my boots, and grab my keys.

“Someone broke into our dorm room and spray-painted the word slut across her bed. And all over the walls on her side of the room.”

“Why the fuck would someone do that?”

“That’s what I was hoping you could tell me?”

“I’m coming now. Stay there.”

“No, you need to stay away from her, Romeo. She’s too good for the likes of your world. She doesn’t deserve this.”

Hanging up on Sandra, because fuck her and anyone else if they think I’m going to stay away from Livvy, I run into Luca in the hallway. “What’s going on?” he asks.